Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till September 30 amid coronavirus outbreak

In the fresh guidelines for the lockdown, all places of worship, hotels and resorts are allowed to re-open. As of Sunday, Tamil Nadu has 52,726 active cases taking the cumulative tally to 3,55,727.

State-wide lockdown in Tamil Nadu has been extended till September 30, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced on Sunday.

A health worker shows a sample kit of a COVID-19 positive test during a door to door test drive. (AP)

In the fresh guidelines for the lockdown, all places of worship, hotels and resorts are allowed to re-open. People can travel across Tamil Nadu without e-pass and public and private bus transport within districts shall resume, the new lockdown guidelines state.

Shopping malls, show rooms and big formal stores can open with 100 per cent staff but cinema halls cannot function yet, the chief minister said.

Complying with the Centre’s Unlock 4 guidelines, Tamil Nadu government will allow the Chennai Metro to resume from September 7.

Measures like prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPc, closure of educational institutions and restrictions in containment zones without any relaxations, have been extended till September 30.

As of Sunday, Tamil Nadu has 52,726 active cases taking the cumulative tally to 3,55,727.

The extension of lockdown in the state - third worst-hit in India - comes on the day when death toll mounted to 7,137.

Tamil Nadu is among the seven states -- Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal -- account for 81% of total Covid-19 deaths, according to the health ministry.